Breaking News: Ric Flair Tries To Quit WWE

[justinsayne]

09/04/2007 by Ryan Clark

Source: Pro Wrestling Torch

Apparently, Ric Flair quit WWE earlier in the week. The possible departure don't have anything to do with the recent drug scandal, he's simply frustrated with his push. Also, he hasn't had any encouraging communication from management.

WWE hasn't given Flair his release. WWE officials are trying hard to get him to cool off and not quit. They are having discussions to get things sorted because WWE doesn't want him to quit the company.

Does it really matter, the guy is in his 60s, not that great in the ring and is frustrated with his push, personally I think they should just let him go, if he's going to be a greedy whining bitch than he's not really helping out the up and comers, cut him lose

 

[Minor League Brian]

This sorta changes how I look at Ric Flair. I mean, I always thought he was the kind of guy who'd put over the younger talent for the business, the guy who would do what needs to be done without really any bitching. Then again, I don't know his history all that well. I use to say he deserved another world title run before he goes out, just as a good "thank you". Know I foresee him getting one, but in no way does he deserve it.

 

[Lil Wes]

Shame,Shame. Flair is old now. He's past news and shouldn't be worrying about his "push" when WWE needs to start building up the younger talent although being made to look like a bitch to a shit wrestler like Khali doesn't do all that good.

Just because it is possibly going to be his last year really doesn't give him any right to bitch about being jobbed out. He's been jobbing for along time now and there's nothing else for him to do for the biz. He's done it all. Flair should at least finish until WM and retire like a man or should have done so along time ago.

 

[Slyfox696]

This sorta changes how I look at Ric Flair. I mean, I always thought he was the kind of guy who'd put over the younger talent for the business, the guy who would do what needs to be done without really any bitching. Then again, I don't know his history all that well.

If you did, you wouldn't be surprised.

Flair was notorious for politicking to keep wrestlers down, to keep himself as champion, to use pull to win matches he shouldn't have won, and for strong-arming the NWA. It's only been in the last several years, where he's had NO leverage at all, that he suddenly became this "great guy who puts younger guys over".

Flair, traditionally, hasn't been about doing what's best for the business, but rather what's best for himself. Personally, I don't have a problem with that at all. You have to look out for number 1, especially in the wrestling business. But, doesn't change what he's done.

 

[Derf]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but was Ric not supposed to be getting inducted into the Hall Of Fame this year and then retiring the next night at Wrestlemania? You'd think that if that was the plan, they wouldn't be jobbing him out, ESPESIALLY at a time like now when they need all the help they can get. True, no one cares when Flair wrestles anymore, but thats cause he's always jobbing. Have him win a match and actually have a decent push against someone and things might look a little better on Smackdown. I think it would be a shame to see Flair leave WWE on bad terms.

 

[Minor League Brian]

If you did, you wouldn't be surprised.

Flair was notorious for politicking to keep wrestlers down, to keep himself as champion, to use pull to win matches he shouldn't have won, and for strong-arming the NWA. It's only been in the last several years, where he's had NO leverage at all, that he suddenly became this "great guy who puts younger guys over".

Flair, traditionally, hasn't been about doing what's best for the business, but rather what's best for himself. Personally, I don't have a problem with that at all. You have to look out for number 1, especially in the wrestling business. But, doesn't change what he's done.

That just makes me ask, what has changed? He's always had this sort of leverage (threaten to quit and have everyone get all antsy for nothing). Then again, Flair needs the money, no? So where would he go if he did quit WWE, TNA? HA! I could not see Flair in TNA.

 

[justinsayne]

Well with all of the Suspensions one would think that WWE would be giving him a push anyway, at least until everything started to cool down and get back to where it was with talent coming back, he should really look at what Terry Funk has done for the business and try to build up the future of the industry

 

[Slyfox696]

That just makes me ask, what has changed? He's always had this sort of leverage (threaten to quit and have everyone get all antsy for nothing). Then again, Flair needs the money, no? So where would he go if he did quit WWE, TNA? HA! I could not see Flair in TNA.

Flair needs Vince McMahon. Vince doesn't need Flair. Hell, Vince has NEVER needed Flair. Even back in 1991 and 1992, Vince had little problem letting Flair go.

Ric Flair appealed to the NWA fanbase, but couldn't do it on a large scale on a nationwide scale. Flair could go from territory to territory, preceded by enormous hype, and fans would show up in droves, just because this would be their chance to watch Flair. You didn't get many of those chances.

When he was in the WWF, he was exposed for what he really was. An average at best wrestler, who's hype was much greater than his ability. Flair couldn't draw on a nationwide scale, with constant exposure and with wrestlers and management who refused to accommodate him by making everyone work his same spotty matches every night.

Once McMahon realized that Flair was just another wrestler with enormous hype, he didn't try that hard to keep Flair to stay. Which, brings us to present day.

Flair now is an absolute terrible wrestler, who doesn't draw in the least, and is in enormous debt.


Ric Flair needs Vince McMahon, or, more appropriately, McMahon's money, so he's been willing to lay down for various guys. Vince McMahon only wants Flair because of his name.


Thus, Flair has no leverage.

 

[evdogg311]

i love flair, he's my idol's idol. but i agree, he's in no shape to be a top main eventer by any stretch.. personally, some of his best stuff in recent years was as triple h and co's mentor in evolution. he should go back to that after 'mania

 

[Tomm2x]

Well with all of the Suspensions one would think that WWE would be giving him a push anyway, at least until everything started to cool down and get back to where it was with talent coming back, he should really look at what Terry Funk has done for the business and try to build up the future of the industry

I have to admit, amidst the past few weeks with the scandals and firings, I lost track of Flair. Personally, I think the WWE needs him more than ever with all of the superstars out of commission (injuries, suspensions, firings, etc). While Flair is certainly not half the wrestler he was in his prime, he's still a legend and a name that can draw. I would not put the title on him at this point in his career, but he could certainly put on an entertaining feud with the Great Khali, MVP, as well as other wrestlers on the roster. While his matches have grown stale to some degree, even Ric Flair with half the ability of old still puts guys like Batista to shame (I'm talking ring psychology and pacing, as well as moves). Considering it's likely to be his last year as an active wrestler, the WWE should use him while they still have him. As for the push he's been asking for, bear in mind, a push doesn't necessarily mean a guaranteed title or streak of victories. Just placing him in matches with young main-eventers and upper mid-carders would be a great push. He could get consistent TV time and visibility with matches and promos, put on great matches, and still come out of it looking good despite a loss.

Personally, though, if I were Flair, I wouldn't be rocking the boat at this point. As reported about a year ago, he got into some troubgle with the IRS regarding his taxes and a lot of his current income is going to pay off his tax debt. If he quit right now, he'd have to account for that money somehow, and I doubt TNA is going to shill out top dollar for him at this point in his career. I hope this situation resolves itself, because it'd be a shame to see Flair's career end this way.

 

[I Suckle Off My Mother]

Personally i think this is all a bluff. Ric Flair knows that he can't afford to leave cause he needs the money. Ric is only saying that he wants to quit so that wwe will go and give flair what he wants and that is a big push. ric needs to do whats best for the business and thats to help the young talent out and job to them to put them over. Ric right now is being TOO selfish.

 

[Hdog684]

Eh, seems like the perfect way for a greedy selfish asshole's career to end to me. He's been giving wrestling a bad name and bad image for 25 or so years, what better way for him to leave than to take one big shit on it on his way out. Ric loves to say "To be the man, you have to beat the man." Well, Ric, to be the man, you have to act like a man. And he's made no attempt to do that in the past, so why start now? This is as good a time as any to cut him, they can give Khali credit for ending his career.

If this is true (which somehow I doubt), good riddance.

 

[CanadaTed]

Flair needs to get over himself... it's been a long time since he was great. I know this is a profession that pushes the boundaries of believability, but is anyone really supposed to believe this 60 year old bag of skin is really capable of beating all these athletic,in-shape 20 year olds??

Flair, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Wow, I know Ric Flair is way past his prime & similar to when Hulk Hogan, & the other dinosaurs roamed the W.W.F. - W.C.W. they should've just hung 'em up before they got ugly (both in & out) of the ring.

But I have to side away from the general public. Ric Flair deserves One Last Championship Run! Sure, he's greedy, he's selfish, he's old & may not want to put the talent over.. (dispite that he HAS, many times already - Carlito, Dykstra, Batista, etc...)

I say the old man deserves one more run. Give him the Championship, even if only for a fricken night. Have him win at the beginning of the show then rematch & lose at the end. Just so the next generation can see him do it, for themselves.

Personally.. I wanted a Four Horsemen reunion, but it looks like that won't ever happen now with Benoit being gone, Anderson being too hurt, & whatever was left of the group "I" wanted to return.. not even wrestling anymore. So, let him retire by Mania, win one more World Championship (& yes, he IS better than Khali) & let him have one last moment on top. In my opinion, he deserves at least that much.

 

[Minor League Brian]

But I have to side away from the general public. Ric Flair deserves One Last Championship Run! Sure, he's greedy, he's selfish, he's old & may not want to put the talent over.. (dispite that he HAS, many times already - Carlito, Dykstra, Batista, etc...)

As I said before; I'd have agreed with you before hand but now...not so much.

Anyway, thats not my point. My point is; wouldn't it kill the credability of whoever puts Ric over? I know he's The Nature Boy, but come on. Its been said many many times, people aren't stupid. An old man beating a champion would literally destroy said champions credability unless there was some sort of gimmick to it. Like, he wins an elimination chamber match where the final (his opponent) contestant has already been battered and broken. THEN have Flair get the pin, and it wouldn't be as bad. I just don't see how he can win cleanly and not destroy someones credability as a champion.

 

[gunner]

I met Ric Flair once and he was a total jerk.
Even back in the early 90's I never liked him.

I don't think he has a good place in the wwe anymore. He's out of touch.
I find it a little funny that Vince doesn't want Foley to have a bigger role in the WWE becasue he doesn't connect with the fans yet he thinks Flair does.

Flair's skills aren't that good and never were that good. It was time for him to leave a long time ago so I hope he does go and stays away.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Lol. Ric Flair tried to quit and WWE are falling for it. Ric Flair cant quit. The guys broke. He pays his ex wife twenty grand a month FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. How is he supposed to pay that? He's just trying to get more money. And WWE will give it to him. Why is a mysterie to me. He has been a jobber for so long that he has nothing to offer wrestling anymore.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

My point is; wouldn't it kill the credability of whoever puts Ric over? I know he's The Nature Boy, but come on. Its been said many many times, people aren't stupid. An old man beating a champion would literally destroy said champions credability unless there was some sort of gimmick to it. Like, he wins an elimination chamber match where the final (his opponent) contestant has already been battered and broken. THEN have Flair get the pin, and it wouldn't be as bad. I just don't see how he can win cleanly and not destroy someones credability as a champion.

Apparently you missed most of 2006 during the beginning, when Rey Mysterio won the Royal Rumble, went on to become World Heavyweight Champion & beat several bigger guys. Credibility? The word isn't really in a W.W.E. creative members book. Shock & Amaze.. those are two words in their book.

Furthermore.. Ric Flair beating Khali for the World Heavyweight Championship would be FAR more believable than Rey Mysterio.. which looks like it might happen. (yes, albeit with Batista's help, still.. why can't Flair get that push before he retires? Its not like Mysterio won't be around for years to come, barring some bizarre injury or occurance.)

 

[Minor League Brian]

Apparently you missed most of 2006 during the beginning, when Rey Mysterio won the Royal Rumble, went on to become World Heavyweight Champion & beat several bigger guys. Credibility? The word isn't really in a W.W.E. creative members book. Shock & Amaze.. those are two words in their book.

Furthermore.. Ric Flair beating Khali for the World Heavyweight Championship would be FAR more believable than Rey Mysterio.. which looks like it might happen. (yes, albeit with Batista's help, still.. why can't Flair get that push before he retires? Its not like Mysterio won't be around for years to come, barring some bizarre injury or occurance.)

You're right, I did miss most of 2006. I didn't pick up Wrestling again till just a few weeks before Rey's I Quit match with Chavo. Even then, though; it makes slightly more sense for Rey Mysterio beating all these people then it would if we were to see Flair doing it.

Rey is younger, supposed to be in better shape, and a guy who just flys around the ring. Flairs older, in much worse shape, and is pretty much grounded now a days. At least if Rey takes someone down, it is -slightly- more believeable.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Rey is younger, supposed to be in better shape, and a guy who just flys around the ring. Flairs older, in much worse shape, and is pretty much grounded now a days. At least if Rey takes someone down, it is -slightly- more believeable.

Okay, I agree with how Rey Mysterio should (in todays wrestling) be viewed as more of a believeable situation than Ric Flair. And maybe people misunderstand when I say give him the Championship one last time.. thinking JUST HIM.

When I say put the Heavyweight Championship back on him.. I mean, bring back the Four Horsemen.. all in the night Flair would win the Championship. Thus, making it believeable as to why he suddenly won the Championship. If say.. a Tag Team & a single's mid-carder were to all jump in, mysteriously, & help Flair.. it'd work. The only problem is finding 3 guys to fit the bill, so to speak.

Number one.. finding a tandem that'd work as a Tag Team, or finding a Tag Team in itself is highly doubtful. Number two.. the mid-carder that'd basically be Flair's right hand man, similar to Arn Anderson, or Chris Benoit.. it'd be hard to find a "heel" type character to fit that bill too. But none the less, thats what I mean by saying Flair should have one more go. He should exit through the Horsemen.. not through some stupid single's, meaningless, match at WM.. IF he even gets on the card.

 

[reddevil69]

Ric Flair should have hung it up 10 years ago....he has the nerve to criticize Bret Hart for what happened in montreal, take cheap shots at Mick foley and Randy Savage and then at age 59 is pissing and moaning about his push???...is this idiot for real?....you are an old saggy man Ric....go away...you do not need nor do you deserve a push....it is 2007, not 1987....no one wants to watch someone who looks like their grandfather challenging for a world title....there are far better talents that could use a push right now and he is being a selfish bastard....and for anyone who wants to side with HHH's recent comments that younger guys can benefit from wrestling Flair and that if you cannot get over wrestling Flair then you should not be in the business, i say please stop taking hallucinagenic drugs....could someone please explain to me how a 25-30 year old wrestler that is in peak condition can get over in any way by working with or beating up on a man who in 6 months will be 59 years old??...i've no doubt that Flair is a tough old goat but when he is up against someone who does the same thing for a living he does and is physically superior to him, there should be no question as to what the outcome should be...unfortunately that type of psychology is a lost art in today's WWE....furthermore, how much money does Flair actually draw any way?....i don't think i've seen one person wearing a Flair shirt the past few years....

 

[reddevil69]

Flair needs Vince McMahon. Vince doesn't need Flair. Hell, Vince has NEVER needed Flair. Even back in 1991 and 1992, Vince had little problem letting Flair go.

Ric Flair appealed to the NWA fanbase, but couldn't do it on a large scale on a nationwide scale. Flair could go from territory to territory, preceded by enormous hype, and fans would show up in droves, just because this would be their chance to watch Flair. You didn't get many of those chances.

When he was in the WWF, he was exposed for what he really was. An average at best wrestler, who's hype was much greater than his ability. Flair couldn't draw on a nationwide scale, with constant exposure and with wrestlers and management who refused to accommodate him by making everyone work his same spotty matches every night.

Once McMahon realized that Flair was just another wrestler with enormous hype, he didn't try that hard to keep Flair to stay. Which, brings us to present day.

Flair now is an absolute terrible wrestler, who doesn't draw in the least, and is in enormous debt.


Ric Flair needs Vince McMahon, or, more appropriately, McMahon's money, so he's been willing to lay down for various guys. Vince McMahon only wants Flair because of his name.


Thus, Flair has no leverage.

i could not agree with you more....if flair was so important to the industry then why did Vince let him go in 1992 after only a year?....according to Flair, Bret Hart was not a draw, but Vince took the belt from Flair and put it on Bret and let Flair go....correct me if i'm wrong but WWF still was doing better business and out drawing WCW while Bret was champ...Flair going back to WCW did nothing for that company...WCW did not start to pick up until Hall and Nash joined up with Hogan 3 years later....Bret Hart, Undertaker, and Randy Savage were all much bigger stars on a national scale and far bigger draws than Flair ever was internationally....i believe that Flair thought that in 1992 with Hogan leaving WWF, he would finally be top man in the company and then Savage took the belt from him, and after he regained it, he dropped it a month later to Bret Hart, was ushered out of the company and is still pissed about it to this day, and i can't say i blame him, but tough shit Ric, get over it.....if you were half of the asset that you claimed to be in your book, WWF would have held onto you and Bischoff would not have 'misused' you as you claim in WCW...the fact is that Bischoff took WCW to the top of the industry using wrestlers other than you because while you were in the main events from 1993 to 1996, you clearly were not drawing the kind of numbers they were looking for...once the NWO started to roll, nobody outside of North and South Carolina gave a shit whether Flair was on tv or not....Bret was offered 9 million over 3 years because he earned it, regardless of how he was booked during his tenure there...that is managements fault not Hart's...Flair was never offered that type of contract because he was not worth it to his employer...Hogan, Savage, Piper,Nash,Hall, and Hart all made more money because they were bigger attractions at the time....the NWO could not have taken off without Hall and Nash...Hogan was the critical ingredient after turning heel, but he was anchored by the Outsiders Hall and Nash...does anyone think if it had been Flair that joined the NWO that the ratings would have taken off like they did?.... Flair has been nothing but a little suck up to HHH since returning to WWE in 2001 and that is why WWE has re-packaged and re-manufactured his legacy these past 5 years and rammed it down everyone's throats...Hunter and Shawn are best friends and Flair is now part of the triad, and HHH politicked for Flair to be an important part of the WWE...anyone who thinks any different is fooling themselves...just read HHH's recent comments on flair in WWE magazine....there is no other way Flair would have gotten away with the uninformed, asinine comments he made about Hart, Foley and Savage in his book unless he was protected by Vince's son in law HHH.....i watched Flair's dvd set back to back with Bret's and Shawn's and Undertaker's over a 2 day period and Flair's best matches do not compare with the latter 3 for sheer action and entertainment....and Bret was having better matches during the same time period of 1988-89, so the argument of 'it was a different era is a moot point'....

 

[BrooklynBuc]

Maybe I'm speaking as a person too young to know Flair's legacy, but here it is...

Flair has NEVER been good to me.

I remember when I first started watching WCW, I happened to discover it one night flipping through channels. I was a WWF fan in '91, and only knew about WCW a little after '93 began. WCW was like the WWF without the gimmicks. It had real wrestlers and guys who seemed normal guys compared to The Undertaker and Doink. I started liking Sting, the true hero/draw for WCW, Vader, one of the best big man heels I've seen, and some of the mid-carders. Then, when Hogan was signed, I started seeing Ric Flair, this cocky, blonde playboy who was supposed to be the champion and better than everyone. His match against Sting where he won the WCW Title, I literally wondered how Flair could have won without cheating. Then it became a trend.

As I watched The Four Horsemen, it became apparent that Flair could not win without help. Every match, every situation, Anderson helped him, Pillman helped him, Benoit, McMichael, Woman, Jimmy Hart, no matter who or what, Flair ALWAYS needed cheating to win. He never faced jobbers, and needed shortcut after shortcut to win. Brass knuckles, chairs, handcuffs, bribes for heel turns, suitcases...I started wondering just why was he so great.

I know the heel philosophy was to cheat to win, but I also know that even the suckiest of heels needs to beat somebody on their own. The greatest heels not only could cheat to win, but you have to think that they have some shot on their own of winning. Edge is portrayed as a cowardly heel, running away and using shortcuts to win, but he also had the ability to hit the spear for a quick win, or get a roll-up sneakily for the pin. Maybe it's not a dominant win but at least he won without help. When Flair was a face, he almost never won a match. And his time in the WWE, even when he's a face, he's still "the dirtest player in the game" and needs shortcuts to win.

Why am I saying all of this? Because I'm asking why does he deserve another title reign? Besides being CEO of the WWE, HHH's "manager" and the veteran looking for one last hurrah, how can we even say he can do it again? He hasn't had a decent match in years. All he does is chop and go "woo" the whole time, maybe hit a shin breaker and eventually try to apply the Figure Four and strut around. He doesn't even try to wrestle anymore. Flair should be someone else's manager right now, whether it be face or heel, because his time is done. If he wants to quit, let him. I don't know what kind of program they see him in or what they offered him, but I hope it's not at the behest of younger guys ready for the spotlight.

 

[MonsterMash]

I've never seen much of Flair's early work, but his stuff now is not all that great. I've never considered the guy to be a huge draw in the WWE, and from the angles I saw him involved with in WCW (being in the nuthouse stands out), he was nothing more than a cheap laugh. It's at the point in his career where he should just bow out and have a nice little sendoff. Should he be given one last world title reign just because (I'd call it a pity reign)? No, focus on building up guys who are going to be around over the next 10 years rather than some old guy who should be wearing a bra.

 

[speedy316]

Flair should go back to being a on screen personality but not a wrestler, a young guy's manager like he was with Carlito and Evolution. He is in no condition to wrestle and the last thing i saw him in that actually mattered was the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at Wrestlemania 22. After that he has done sod all, people complain about John Cena's and Batista's movesets when Rick Flair has Right Hand, Left Hand, Right Boot, Left Boot, Chop, Chop Block and Figure Four. With the Figure Four hyped has being one of the most badass and most painful sumbissions in the business and all you have to do to reverse it is to roll over! Also he doesnt put as much hype into working the legs over as he used to, i saw early matches where he would do any number of things to his opponents legs before putting them in the figure four, and the opponent would tap in an instant. But now he just chop blocks you a couple of times and boots it before putting it on, no wonder most people either get to the ropes or roll over to reverse it. I was absolutly shaking my head when the put the World Tag Titles on him and Roddy Piper (before Piper found out about his cancer) i was laughing i mean Flair was out of shape but Piper! the guy had a huge beergut! and they wanted him to carry the titles for a least a month orginially. When it comes to Flair you can use him in two different ways either Young Guy Manager or Cheap "Yeah I'm a WWE Legend look at me, I used to be Good" Pop